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China's development of aircraft carriers and carrier-based fighter jets is a significant aspect of its growing military capabilities. The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) currently operates three aircraft carriers: the Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian, with the latter undergoing sea trials. The main fighter jet used on these carriers is the Shenyang J-15.
The J-15 is a reverse-engineered version of Russia's Sukhoi Su-33, developed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation. It entered service in 2009 and features technologies from the Shenyang J-11B program. Despite its capabilities, some experts consider it technologically outdated compared to modern stealth fighters like the Lockheed Martin F-35C.
The Chinese military has acknowledged this limitation and is developing a next-generation stealth-enabled carrier-capable fighter based on the land-based Shenyang J-35. This new aircraft is expected to replace the J-15 within the next decade.
